Aged care needs more workers: what the latest news says
Australia's aged care sector is asking for a new type of visa designed for care workers, at the same time as the major political parties are putting forward plans to bring overall migration down. ABC News reported on the debate on 20 October 2026. Here's a plain-English summary of what was reported, and what it may mean if you're interested in care work.
What's happening
According to the ABC, aged care providers (including the industry body Ageing Australia) and the Committee for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA) want a dedicated "essential skills" visa for care workers. Their worry is that proposed cuts to net overseas migration could make it harder for the sector to find the staff it needs.
CEDA's view is that the Aged Care Industry Labour Agreement, which has been the government's main dedicated pathway for the sector, isn't keeping up with demand. It has proposed a visa covering aged and disability carers, personal care assistants and nursing support workers in occupations facing long-term shortages.
Key numbers
51% of the residential aged care workforce was born overseas (Ageing Australia).
About 110,000 more care workers will be needed by the end of the decade (Ageing Australia).
Around 70,000 personal care workers arrived on temporary visas, such as student and partner visas (CEDA estimate).
What's being proposed
The ABC report sets out three different approaches to net overseas migration:
Labor: a target of 225,000 people a year from 2027-28, compared with around 300,000 in recent years.
Coalition: 100,000 a year for the first two years, then 160,000. The Coalition told the ABC it does not accept that its plan would leave aged care short of workers, and says it will expand skilled visa pathways.
One Nation: three years of net-negative migration. It had not responded to the ABC's request for comment at the time the article was published.
The Department of Home Affairs told the ABC that any future settings need to fit with its migration, labour market and worker-protection objectives. It also noted that aged care workers are among the health occupations that already receive priority visa processing.
What it means if you're interested in care work
The demand for care workers is real: the sector's own figures point to a large staffing gap over the next few years. How future workers might get visas, though, is still being debated. These are proposals only. Nothing in visa law has changed because of this debate, and no one can say yet which ideas, if any, will go ahead.
This article is general information only, not migration advice. We International is an education agency working with registered migration partners, and we can't guarantee any visa, job or residency outcome. For advice about your own situation, see our Migration Support page. We can refer you to a registered migration agent.
Learn about the course
Curious about what care work training involves? CHC33021 Certificate III in Individual Support is a widely offered entry-level qualification for aged care and disability support roles. Read our plain-English guide: CHC33021 Certificate III in Individual Support: what you'll learn and who it suits. Course length, fees, intakes and placement arrangements vary by provider.
Sources
ABC News, "Aged care sector calls for new essential skills visa as parties propose broader migration cuts", 20 October 2026. Figures and positions in this article are as reported by the ABC and attributed to the organisations named.
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